VIDEOS: Budapest is under water after heavy rains

In addition to Zala and Somogy, the National Meteorological Service (OMSZ) has issued a second-level alert for Baranya, Tolna, Vas and Veszprém counties on Thursday. The storm has already reached Budapest, among other places, with torrential rain and hurricane-force winds hitting Deák Ferenc Square and other locations in the city.

According to the OMSZ, at the moment, in addition to lightning, there is also a risk of wind and hail accompanying thunderstorms, Origo reports. Gusts of 60-80 km/h can be expected in the vicinity of thunderstorms, and 90-110 km/h in the case of heavy thunderstorms.

The storm hit Budapest late in the afternoon. This is the situation on Deák Ferenc Square:

And this is what Kőbánya looks like:

The OMSZ warned that heavy rainfall of up to 25-40 millimetres could fall locally in a short period of time today. Thunderstorms are forecast to be gradually confined to the southern areas.

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Like a hurricane, this is how the storm raged in the 10th district of Budapest:

Due to the heavy rainfall, metro line M2 did not stop at the Blaha Lujza Square station due to power supply problems. The problem has since been resolved.

But the storm is not over yet, and more counties could be hit. In addition to Zala, Somogy, Baranya, Tolna, Vas and Veszprém counties, the OMSZ has issued a second-level alert for Bács-Kiskun, Csongrád-Csanád and Fejér counties, Origo writes.

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The OMSZ added: during the evening, the atmosphere will stabilise from the northwest, and gradually the thunderstorm activity will be limited to the southern areas. On Friday, during the day, a few light thunderstorms may occur in the south, southwest and near the border.

A tree fell down in a storm in Kisfaludy Street in the 19th district of Budapest on 15 September 2022. Source: MTI/Zoltán Mihádák

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Source: Origo, Telex, met.hu